In 1995 an extremely little-known Nirvana-influenced grunge band called Oversoul out of Worcester, MA hit the local music scene. Fronted by 17 year-old guitarist/vocalist Jessica Lovina, Oversoul received positive feedback from a handful of shows played at the all-ages Espresso Bar that summer. The band went into the studio to record a 6-song demo tape. But, due to conflicts within the band, after being together less than a year, Oversoul broke up.
In March of 2003, Jessica played the Oversoul demo for her boyfriend Chris. Both of them were in other bands at the time as singer/guitarists. Chris's response to hearing the demo was that the songs were too good not to be played. Chris then played the tape for his band's bassist, Mike. Mike's response was if it was going to become something, he wanted in.
A month and a bit of luck later, with Chris on a drumset he won for $15 at a raffle, The Kids at the Back of the Bus was born. However, sandwiched between two other bands, it remained a side project for nearly a year, making slow progress. New songs blended with four of the original demo tracks into a brand new radio-friendly grunge rock sound.
In February 2004, Jessica made the long-considered decision to leave her other band to focus solely on The Kids at the Back of the Bus. In the same week, Chris and Mike's drummer left their band for another project. The Kids became a full-time band and started practicing three nights a week. By the next month, they were in the studio to record their "2004 DEMO" with 3 tracks all original to The Kids at the Back of the Bus.
In September of 2004, bassist Mike Jones left the band to pursue other musical interests. Not letting the absence of a bass player slow them down, Chris and Jessica continued to practice, write songs and play out. While "bass player wanted!" posters hung in local music stores, they considered staying a two piece. They didn't have to wait long. In January 2005, bassist Jodi Fitzpatrick tried out for the band and was instantly a perfect fit. With Jodi completing the band, The Kids immediately began playing shows regularly including a showcase at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston only a month after adding Jodi to the lineup.
Sadly, a short six months later, Jodi left the band for personal reasons. Plans to record a full length album were scratched. Chris and Jessica took a break from the Kids. Chris regrouped with his former bandmates of Epitome of Dog and began playing out. Jessica started jamming with bassist Cathy of Musclecah in February 2006. Chris again jumped on drums, but with a new line up and new songs, a name change was due. This configuration was called Razors for Rosemary. However with two members involved in other bands, practices were somewhat sporatic, and shows were minimal. Another six months later and Cathy left to pursue other interests.
Again left without a bassist, Chris and Jessica plan to jam and play again hopefully in the near future.
With their down to earth approach, The Kids at the Back of the Bus have entertained crowds in Worcester, MA and Providence, RI area clubs. The Kids' mission is to have their music reach as wide an audience as possible and have fun doing it.
